Walkers have been used for many years by elderly persons who are somewhat feeble to assist them in walking unattended and to protect them against falling. Such walkers also have been utilized by physically handicapped persons and convalescent patients who are undergoing rehabilitation from long periods during which they were bed-ridden. The standard walker comprises a metal frame with a front portion and rearwardly-extending side portions forming hand grips at a convenient height for the person using the walker. Usually the frame has four legs extending from it. In use, a person moves ahead by picking up the walker frame and moving it ahead a short distance. A step or two then is taken and the process is repeated, with the walker supporting the weight of the person during the times that steps are being taken. Such walkers, however, are not capable of use by more seriously physically handicapped persons and convalescent patients requiring substantial partial or almost total support during the walking process.
Various attempts have been made in the past to provide a walker which is capable of utilization by more severely handicapped or convalescent patients. One such walker, which is usable through various stages of rehabilitation, is disclosed in the patent to Andow, U.S. Pat. No. 3,778,052. This walker comprises a wheeled support structure which defines an open framework enclosure extending at or above the head of the person using it. The enclosure includes an adjustable height crotch sling and belt assembly which is suspended from the upper from (over the head). This assembly is attached to the handicapped person or convalescent patient. Opposite side rails defining hand rails, comparable to conventional walker hand rails, also are provided, and these hand rails may be gripped by the person using the walker. In addition, the walker includes adjustable crutch heads for positioning beneath the armpits of the person using the walker. The legs of the walker are provided with casters, so that it readily rolls from place to place. The structure of the walker of the Andow Patent is large and cumbersome. In addition, the crotch sling support mechanism is somewhat unstable since it is suspended from a point over the head of the person using the walker. Consequently, if that person should fall, there is a possibility that the walker might tip over. The crotch sling apparatus of the Andow walker also involves a large number of straps and hooks causing it to be expensive and difficult to adjust and put on.
Another approach to a safety walker, incorporating some of the features of the Andow walker, is disclosed in the patent to Stillings, U.S. Pat. No. 4,342,465. This walker resembles the walkers used by toddlers who are just beginning to learn to walk. The height of the Stillings walker is more of a conventional walker height than the one disclosed in the Andow Patent. The walker of Stillings has a framework which is in two sections hinged together at one side. The sections can be opened with respect to one another to admit entry of a handicapped person. After entry of the handicapped person, the hinged sections are rigidly locked together. A vertically adjustable seat is supported within the framework adjacent the rear portion and a number of legs are provided, terminating in casters to permit the walker to be rolled along a surface. Once the handicapped person is located in the walker, a cushioned support cord is extended from the front of the seat and is attached to the front portion of the framework. This support cord functions as a saddle to partially support the weight of the person using the walker if that person stumbles and begins to fall while utilizing the walker. The support bars for the seat, however, may interfere with the normal walking motion of a person using the walker if the person does not stand close to the front of the walker during use. This interference could result in inhibiting the use of the walker by handicapped persons. In addition, the hard seat does not provide protection against falls to the rear in the event the handicapped person should lose his or her balance and fall backward.
Another approach to providing a walker for convalescing patients or relatively severely handicapped patients is disclosed in the patent to Duke, U.S. Pat. No. 2,459,066. This patent has a three-sided walker frame of generally standard configuration. The legs, however, terminate in caster wheels. An adjustable bar, provided with a cushioned saddle 18, extends from the front of the walker between the legs of the person using it. This bar may be adjusted to a location sufficient to support part of the weight of the person using the walker or to a position where it does not support any weight but where it is available in case the person using the walker becomes tired or should stumble and being to fall. Auxiliary crutches also are provided for adjustment under the armpits of the user to also support part of the weight of the user during use of the device. The device of Duke does not subject the user to the cross bars which are present in the Stillings Patent; but the crotch support member of Duke does not provide side-to-side freedom of movement because it is rigid. The Duke device also has a low center of gravity so that it is not subject to the instability of the Andow apparatus but, if a person using the walker of Duke should tend to fall backward, the open back of the walker provides no safety whatsoever.
The patent to Goldberg, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,488,088, discloses a rolling seat type of walker apparatus utilizing a bicycle seat mounted within an otherwise standard walker provided with caster wheels on its legs. The device of Goldberg is intended to provide ambulatory exercise aid to a patient, but it is not intended to permit the patient to stand up or load his legs. Goldberg is subject to a difficulty in mounting and dismounting since the seat is more or less permanently located in the center of the walker at its pre-adjusted height. The person using the walker must approach it from the rear and straddle the seat and then sit down on it before it is capable of being used.
In addition to the foregoing therapeutic walkers utilizing rollers and various types of full or partial support for persons using the walker, invalid walkers have been provided with seats for use during times when the person using the walker becomes tired or needs to rest. Typical of devices of this type is the one disclosed in the patent to Frank, U.S. Pat. No. 2,798,533. This patent employs a fold-down seat in an otherwise standard walker. Normally, the seat is moved up out of the way and the walker is used in its normal fashion. When the person using the walker, however, becomes tired, the seat may be pulled downward to rest on a support bar provided for that purpose. The person using the walker then simply turns around and sits down on the seat to rest. A number of variations of this type of combined walker/chair have been provided in the past. The seat, however, is not used during the time the walker is employed to assist a patient in moving from one point to another. When the seat is down, the walker is used as a chair in a permanent location.
It is desirable to provide a simple, safe and easy-to-use therapeutic device, which is capable of use during the recovery of a convalescent patient during different stages, beginning with the requirement of considerable support and progressing through stages of lesser support.